The most effective undetectable termite control product

available in New York

Here are some quick facts about Eastern Sub termites

■ An average Eastern Sub termite colony can consume 5 grams of wood per day, the equivalent of 2 1/3 linear feet of a 2'x4' pine board annually.

■ Colony growth is slow, and it may take years before swarmers are produced.

■ Eastern Sub termites can enter buildings through cracks less than 1/16" wide.

■ The termite colony is made up of different types (castes) of termites — each with separate work responsibilities.

■ Although Eastern Sub termite colonies are largely located in the ground below the frost line, secondary colonies can exist above ground, and examples of true above-ground colonies existingwithout any ground contact have been seen. However, such above-ground colonies have accessto moisture and often the source is a roof or plumbing leak.

■ Eastern Sub termites will often build mud tubes for travel between their colonies and their food sources.

■ The king and queen in a colony can live for 10 to 30 years, while workers live for about two years.

The most serious threat

is the most common termite species and poses

the most serious threat to you in New York

The Eastern Subterranean termite

No matter how your home is constructed,

where it’s located, or how old it is, it could be

attacked by subterranean

termites. They are

a threat across 70

percent of the world

and in every part of

the United States except

Alaska. They cause $3 billion

worth of damage each year in the U.S.

alone—damage that is not covered by most

homeowner’s insurance. They are, in fact, the

most serious threat your home may face.

your home may face.

Termites are a concern for homeowners in 49 of the 50 states.

–USDA-FS Home & Garden Bulletin 64.

0

1.0

2.5

2.0

3.0

1.5

.5

BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE

FIRES &STORMS

0

500

1000

1500

2000

THOUSANDS OF HOMES DAMAGED

In any given year, termites damage more homes than fires and the costof termite damage is more than that of fires and storms combined.

Homeowner Termite Risk

none to slight

slight to moderate

moderate to heavy

very heavy

The termites most likely to attack your home are Eastern Subterranean

termites. Eastern, Western, Desert, and Formosan Subterraneans are

four species commonly seen in the United States. All are social insects

that live in large, underground colonies. Although they could number

in the millions, you might never see them or any evidence of them—

until you discover that they’ve done serious damage to your home.

King and QueenAt least one king and queen are at the center of every termite colony.

The queen’s sole purpose is to reproduce. Some live for as long as

30 years.

EggsQueens can lay thousands of eggs every year. Eggs hatch

into nymphs.

NymphsWhile in the nymph state, termites diverge into different castes:

workers, soldiers, reproductives, and supplementary reproductives.

WorkersWorkers are blind, wingless termites that maintain the colony, build

and repair the nest and tubes, forage for food, and care for the other

termites. They are the most numerous caste and the most likely to be

found in infested wood.

SoldiersSoldiers are sterile, wingless, and blind. Their sole function is to

defend the colony.

Winged ReproductivesThese termites will eventually leave the colony as adult Swarmers.

After swarming, they shed their wings and pair up. Each male-female

pair attempts to start a new colony.

Supplementary ReproductivesThese termites help increase the population of established colonies

and can serve as replacements for the king or queen if they should die.

The subterranean termite colony.

Once termites have discovered your house, they will search it

for food—wood fiber. They will squeeze through cracks as narrow

as the thickness of a sheet of paper. Expansion joints, foundation

cracks, tiny gaps around plumbing, and electrical service entries

are all opportunities for termites to enter your home. In homes

with basements, they can enter where the floor and walls meet,

and through small openings in the walls themselves.

The first thing to do is to make your home a poor candidate for

infestation. In general, the goal is to reduce moisture and organic

matter around your home, and to prevent wood fiber from making

contact with the ground. For example, don’t affix wooden trellises

to exterior walls. Keep mulch, wood debris, scrap lumber, saw-

dust, and firewood away from buildings. Don’t bury wood debris

near your home. Remove infested trees and stumps.

To reduce moisture, repair leaking faucets and water lines, both

indoors and outdoors. Fix leaky roofs and gutters, and don’t

allow leaves to accumulate in gutters or drains. Grade soil so

that water (including air conditioning condensate) runs away from

foundations. Ventilate crawl spaces and attics to reduce humidity.

If possible, cover at least 90% of the soil in crawl spaces with

plastic sheeting. And make sure that wood siding, stucco, and

foam board are all at least six inches away from the ground.

BASEMENT

CRAWL SPACE

SLAB

Are you inviting termites?

Termites often leave some evidence of their presence. Look for small holes

in wood, crumbling drywall, or sagging doors or floors. Insect wings are

another sign, as termites shed their wings when they swarm. Look, too,

for the shelter tubes termites build to serve as their passageways across

masonry or along pipes.

Keep in mind, though, that just because you don’t see any termites or

termite damage, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not there. That’s why

it’s important to have your pest management professional make an annual

inspection of your home to ensure it’s termite-free.

TERMITE

ANT

Termites can hollowout beams, damagewalls, and reducewood floors or trim toa paper-thin veneer.

Eastern Sub termitescan build secondarycolonies above ground.

Those “ants” might be termites.

Sometimes people mistakenly identify termites as

“white ants” when they see them in the ground

or as “flying ants” when they see them swarming.

Like ants, subterranean termites live in the ground

and often move in a file, but there are differences,

and it’s important to know them.

Both ants and termites have two pairs of wings, but

ants’ wings are different sizes while the termites’

wings are all the same size. Also, ants have narrowed

waists and elbowed antennae while termites have

thick waists and short, straight antennae that

resemble strings of beads. Don’t be fooled by color

or size. Ants can vary in size, and winged termites

can be brown or black like ants.

Do you have termites?

Only a licensed pest control professional can perform a

thorough termite inspection, the first step toward termite

control. A Phantom Certified Professional is your best choice.

The purpose of the inspection is to determine where and how

termites are entering your home. Every accessible inch of the

house that comes into contact with the ground must be exam-

ined. Also, the entire structure must be inspected for signs of

damaged wood and termite shelter tubes.

If the inspection reveals that you have termites, your Phantom

Certified Professional will recommend a treatment plan that will

get rid of them and keep them from returning.

Call on an experienced pest control professional—the Phantom® Certified Professional.

Phantom® is a remarkable termite control, employing the world’s

most advanced termite control technology. It is also the most vital

component of your treatment plan.

In some of the most extensive testing a pest control product has

ever been subjected to, Phantom has consistently proven to provide

superior termite control under almost any condition. And, Phantom is

proving to be highly impressive at keeping termites from coming

back. Long-term field trials by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Forest Service showed no signs of reinfestation at over 98% of study

sites six years after treatment by Phantom.

Since Phantom went on the market in the United States in 2001,

Phantom Certified Professionals have experienced amazing results

using it to treat termite-infested homes—often after experiencing

prolonged failure and frustration with other treatments.

Phantom is New York’s best termite control, and it’s your solution.

Phantom doesn’t repel. It kills—in several ways.

Many older termite control products are repellents, meaning they

simply keep termites away from treated areas. The problem is, termites

are very persistent, and will find alternate entryways and gaps in the

repellent barrier to get into your house. Phantom is a nonrepellent or

“undetectable” and effectively kills termites. And unlike most other

termite control products, it’s able to kill them in more than one way.

Because termites cannot detect Phantom, they unknowingly and

repeatedly contact it as they go about their regular routine, and ingest

it along with the wood fiber and other material they normally eat.

Both ingestion of and contact with Phantom are lethal to termites.

In other words, while repellents create a chemical barrier termites

avoid and circumvent, Phantom is completely undetectable and

actually relies on termites to repeatedly cross through the treatment

area. As more and more termites do so, Phantom is spread deeper

and deeper throughout the termite colony.

Although Phantom controls termite colonies quickly (unlike baits,

which can literally take years to work), it kills individual termites

relatively slowly. That is, Phantom gives termites time to travel away

from where they ingest or contact it before they die. This prevents

the behavioral repellent of dead termites massed in treated areas.

Phantom is the only undetectable liquid termite control that has met New

York’s stringent environmental requirements and gained state registration.

Phantom has a very low water solubility, which means it binds very tightly

to soil and is less likely to be washed out of treated areas, and its active

ingredient (chlorfenapyr) is applied at a low dose. Phantom has virtually

no odor, which means you and your family won’t notice a thing.

No better choice in NY for termite control.

Phantom is the only termite control available in New York that combines

nonrepellency, superior control, long-lasting effects, and the ability to

control populations faster than baiting systems—all in a low-dose, virtually

odorless formulation. There is simply no better choice for termite control

in New York.

Your Phantom Certified Professional can provide you with additional

information about Phantom and how it can be used to protect your home.

Checkups are required.Remember that responsible termite control requires periodic inspections

by your Phantom Certified Professional. Talk with him about an appropri-

ate inspection schedule for your home.

Phantom’s unique advantages:

■ The only undetectable termite control available in New York.

■ Unparalleled effectiveness. Over six years of test data prove it.

■ Kills termites by ingestion and contact.

■ Controls populations much faster than bait systems.

■ Responsible, low-dose treatment, with virtually no odor.

■ Only trained, Phantom Certified Professionals can apply Phantom.

Is it environmentally responsible? Does it smell?

Phantom is a registered trademark and the Phantom logo is a trademark of BASF. Phantom is currently only registered for termite control in California. © 2004 BASF Corporation. All rights Reserved.

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